Page 108 of End Game

Though his is better in my opinion, but I’m biased.

“Ah, look at him.” Claudia Valente sighs, her dark eyes flashing with pride. “He’s so fast!”

Nico is currently scrambling on the field, dodging every defensive block coming his way. Gav just threw the ball, and Nico holds up his hands without even looking too closely. Just a quick glance over his shoulder and somehow that ball finds his open palms.

The moment he catches it, he’s clutching the ball close to his chest, running his ass off and gaining plenty of yardage before a team member for the defense lunges toward him, grabbing Nico around the calves and bringing him to the ground, where he rolls over onto his back.

Claudia gasps, her hand flying to her mouth. Her reaction makes my stomach twist with nerves, and both Sienna and I go quiet along with the rest of the stadium when we realize that Nico isn’t moving.

My heart drops into the vicinity of my toes when the other guy rises but Nico doesn’t.

“Oh my God,” I whisper, pressing both my hands to my mouth, sharing a look with Sienna. She appears just as worried as I am.

“Get up, honey. Please get up,” Claudia encourages in a raspy whisper, her attention never straying from where he lies on the field, still not really moving. A few teammates go to him, including Gav. We’re all waiting, my legs getting weak, when a couple of the coaches run out onto the field to tend to Nico.

Sienna clutches my arm, her voice determined. “He’ll be fine. I’m sure he’s okay.”

“Right. He’s fine,” I say weakly. Everything about me is weak. My heart. My head. My legs feel like they could give out at any second. Nico is hurt.

Hurt.

I wish I could run out onto the field, but they’d just kick me out of the game if I even tried that, so of course I don’t. I remain where I’mat, my focus fixed on the field. I curl my other arm through Claudia’s, and we all stand there, hoping against hope that Nico will be okay. The panic racing through my veins makes me breathe faster. Harder. The same words rattle through my brain, getting me through it.

He’s just fine. He’s just fine.

Is he, though? Really? Tears threaten, and I squeeze my eyes shut, fighting them off. I need to be strong. Nico is okay.

He has to be.

Eventually he sits up, and the entire stadium erupts in earsplitting cheers. We’re screaming, too, the relief flooding my senses at seeing him being helped to his feet making me clutch Sienna and Claudia even harder.

“He’s going to be all right,” Claudia says with a steely determination that reminds me of Nico. “Look at him. He’s walking off the field.”

Assisted, but I don’t say that. I send a look to Sienna, who still appears vaguely worried, but she smiles at me, nodding her encouragement.

“I’m sure he’s fine. Might’ve got knocked around a little bit, but don’t worry,” she says.

Her words aren’t a comfort. And it doesn’t help when they lead him to the medical tent on the sidelines, where he remains for the rest of the fourth quarter.

I worry, distracted, as the clock ticks away. I’m not even paying attention to what’s happening when the crowd suddenly roars, and I jerk my attention to the field, leaping to my feet when I see that a Dolphin has the ball in his hands when he most certainly shouldn’t.

“Interception!” screams one of the announcers.

Sienna and I are hopping up and down, my gaze going to the back of the guy’s jersey. It saysDOLLAR.

“Oh my God, it’s Frank!” I’m screaming. Sienna is too.

He runs the ball all the way into the end zone, scoring a touchdown, and we freaking lose it. Half the stadium is cheering so loudly it’s almost deafening, and I swear once Frank runs over to the sidelines, the entire team surrounds him, congratulating him. Supporting him.

Ah man, I have tears in my eyes.

“Are you crying?” Sienna screeches. “’Cause I am!” She points at her face.

We’re laughing and blubbering, clutching each other, and I realize in that moment that the team is going to win. With the time still left on the clock and how many points we have compared to the other team, there’s no way they can catch up to us.

We’ve won.

Everyone is screaming their happiness, and while I’m clapping, my gaze never strays from the makeshift medical tent. Nico still hasn’t emerged, and I hope he’s not seriously hurt.

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